Irrigation device



July 30, 1935. w HICQLES ET AL 2,009,478

IRRIGATION DEVICE Filed May 21, 1952 Fig.3 x

in the present invention;

and

Patented July 30, 1935 1 2,009,478 IRRIGATION DEVICE Walter H. Coles andBert J. Nelson, Troy, Ohio,

assignorsto The Skinner Irrigation Company, Troy, Ohio, a corporation ofOhio Application May 21, 1932, Serial No. 612,772

' 4 Claims. (01.299-67') I V This invention. relates, to watersprinklers adapted for sprinkling or irrigating the ground.

One object of the invention is the provision of a sprinklerconstructedpand arranged so as to reduce the turbulence of the=streamsupplied to and through the sprinkling pipe so thatzan unusually largethrow of water is obtained.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a sprinkling memberwhich isv moved slowly by impact .means within the. sprinkling housingand actuated by rotational movements of the water in the housing,the'sprinklerhaving control means readily accessible from the exteriorof the sprinkler so that the speed of the rotational movements of thewater, in ,thehousing can be readily controlled in order that the speed.of movement of the sprinkling member may be adjusted as desired.

7 Another object of the invention is the provision of a sprinkling,device having a sprinkling member which is slowly rotated by means underthe control of a rotating body of water in the sprinkler, there being atangentially directedwater inlet inthe sprinkler body for causing therotational whirl of the water and also an axially directedinlet forsupplying Water to the sprinkler body so that some ofthe water can movedirectly to the sprinkling member in order that substantially the fullefiect of the water pressure may be utilized. 3

Anotherobject is the provisionof a sprinkling .pipe having a bentportion, through whichthe water is supplied to the sprinkling nozzle,the

sprinkling pipe having a curved vane orwall provided within its bend andso arranged as to produce a smooth and direct flow of water through thepipe. I I g Other objects and advantages of the invention will beapparent from the following description, the appended claims and theaccompanying drawing, in-which .Fig. 1 is a side elevation of asprinklerembodythe line 2-2 of Fig. 2 is a vertical section 0 Fig. 3 isa section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Fig. '4 is a fragmentary. sectional .view onthe ',line 4- -4 of Fig. 2..1 .50

erally the housingof a sprinkler, the housing bewater is supplied to theinterior of the housing. The water flows from the housing to therotatable sprinkling member designated generally by' ,the numeral 13;The sprinkling member I3 as herein shown embodies a dependingistemportion the stem portion 15 is'preferablyprovided with '16 flowstraightening means I 4, and is directed axially into the housing, beingopen at IT so-that the water can flow, into it fromthe interior of thehousing. ,The Water passes up through the stern portion l5tothesprinkling pipe .which is connected, as shown, by means of thethreads l9 to the threaded upper end of the portion I5. Thesprinklingpipe i8 is bent at a substantial angle at the point 2| so thatthe nozzle receiving end-22 extends out laterally, at an angle. A nozzle.23 having an opening of a desired size is threaded in the end 22 of thesprinkling pipe. The nozzle.23 is readily removable and may be unscrewedfrom the sprinkling pipe and replaced by another having a smaller orlarger openingv so that a smaller or a thicker stream of water canbe'readily provided for. V l

The movement of the water as it flows .past the bent portion 2| of thesprinkling pipe is straightened, and controlled by a partition vane orwall 24 which is curved in conformity with thecurvature of the walls, ofthe sprinkling pipel'at the bend 2 I so as toprovide two channels 25 and26 on opposite sides of the vane 24. Where two such vanes are usedtheylare provided side by side. The turbulent actionof the water thatwould otherwise be caused-by a bend of comparatively small radius inthesprinkling pipe isthus avoided, and Water is caused to'flow, directlyandwithout substantial turbulent action into and through 40 the entiresprinkling pipe so that :the. full force of the water is effective ingiving a large throw or travel of the water from the nozzle. 1 .Anauxiliarynozzle. 2'! is preferably provided on the vertical portion ofthe sprinkling pipe as shown in Fig. 2,.the auxiliary nozzle beingdirested oppositely to the direction of fiow'of water from the nozzle 23and being of smaller size so as to cover a circle of smallerdiameterthan" that Referring more particularly to the drawing byIcovered by the comparatively largestream thrown reference numerals,similar numerals designating like parts in the various views', I 0designates geniiromthe nozzle 23.

Rotational'movements of the sprinklingmember are. preferably imparted bymeans of an impact device which gives. step by step movements tothesprinkling member, causing its slow 'rotait the ball moves.

past as it is carried along by the water in the housing. The mainportion of the housing this preferably made of brass or the like, while.steel rings 33 and 35 may be provided on the stem portion of thesprinkling member and on the cylindrical wall of the housingrespectively, to protect these parts from being worn by the heavy steelball 30.

The housing I0 comprises a top housing section 36 and a bottom housingsection 31, the two 'sections being secured'together by belts or screws-3! which extend through flanges (Sand 40 'provideid .on'the two housingsections. A rubber or leather gasketlring "4| is provided between theflanges. The lower housing section 31 has a threaded passage 4-3"b'ymeans of which it -is sezcured'to a water'supply pipe. At the top of thelower housing section 31 is a flat-wall 44 on which Below the wall 44 isa water chamber which receives the water from the pipe H, part of thewater thus received being passed into the upper water chamber 46 abovethe wall 44 through a tangentially directed opening or passage 41. Thewater chamber is in free communication with a pocket 48 withwhich oneend of the passage '41 communicates, the waterbein'g -directed at ratherhighvelocities through the conically tapered passage '41 in an upwardand tangential direction and through the depression 49 provided in theplate 44. This "causes "a continuous rotational or whirling moveme'ntofthe water in the water chamber 46 of the housing. The amount of flowthrough the passage 41 may be readily controlled from outside we housingby an adjusting mechanism as shown infig. 3. The conical passage 41cooperates with a valve 50, preferably conically formedand rigid with anadjusting stem 5| which may be readily turned when a screw driver isengaged with the slot 52. The stem portion of the valve is threade'dasindicated at in a nut 54 which is threaded at 55 in the wall of thelower housing section 31. The nut 55 is'provided with external threads51 .by'means of which a packing nut '58 is held in place. It will beapparent that the stem of the valve when turned moves the valve 50 adesired distance from the end of the passage '41 and thus -re'gulatesthe flow 'of 'water through this passage into'thewater chamber.

' Soniefoi' the water supplied to the lower housing section is supplieddirectly and axially into the -watercham'ber '46 through a passagepreferably centrally arranged in the wall 44 and so arranged as todirect the water flow through it toward the inlet of the stem portio'nofthe sprinkling member, Thus some water is supplied axially and directlyto and through the waterchamber 46; while the remaining portion isdirected tangentially into the water chamber through the :ipassa'ge 41,the amounts of water supplied through these passages being relativelycontrolled by :the operator so that the desired speed of ro- I tation orthe water in the housing can be readily 'iObtfliflGd; Thusiif thepressureof the water sup- -plied 'tofthe sprinkling/member is ratherhigh,

the greater part of the water supplied to the sprinkling member can flowthrough axially through the water chamber 46, having no rotationaleffect on the water in that chamber, while a comparatively smallerportion of the water flows through the passage 41 and causes the ball 30to be rotated at a desired speed. If the opening in the nozzle 23 isquite small, or if the pressure of the water supplied to the sprinkleris not very great, the throttled passage 41 can be fully opened so thatsufficient water can flow through this passa'ge to cause the desiredspeed of movement of the sprinkling member. It will be observed thatwhere the amount of water flowing through the nozzle is large and alarge throw of water is desired, the larger portion of the watersupplied to the sprinkling member travels quite directly through a shortdirect path from the supply pipe I I so that the energy of the water isnot used up in the creation of useless and unnecessary whirls andturbulent movements. The curved vane 24 in the bent portion or thesprinkling pipe cooperates with the construction providing for directflow of water to the sprinkling member, both actions substantiallyreducing the useless turbulent and agitated movements of the water inits entire assage through the sprinkler. As the fiow through thetangentially directed passage '41 can be so controlled as to give a slowrotational step by step movement of the sprinkling member and as theturbulent and useless eddying action of the water is reduced to aminimum it will be apparentthat an unusually large throw of 'a ratherheavy stream of water can be obtained.

While the form -of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferredembodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the inventionis not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes maybe made therein without departing from the scope of the invention whichis rdefined in the 'appended'claims. I

What is claimed is: 1

'1. in a sprinkler'of the character described, a water housing, asprinkling member rotatably mounted'thereon, said sprinkling memberhaving an inlet opening direct communication with the water housing,water operated means rotatable within said housing and adapted forimpact engagement with sai'dsprihk-ling member for imparting rotationalstep by step movements t-he're- I to, water supply means for supplyingwater into said housing and arranged to cause rotational movement of thewater within the housing, said housing having additi'ohai water supplymeans for supplying water into said housing substantially 56 2. In asprinkler 6f the chaiactrdescribed, a

water housing, a sprinkling member rotatably mounted thereon, saiespnmeingmember having an inlet opening in direct-communication with 'thewater housing, water operated 'means rotatalso having an axiallydirected opening for sup- #0 plying water in an axial direction to therotating water in said housing and in -'a direction toward the inletopeningpf the sprinkling member,

and-means accessible from the exterior of the housing while mounted forfor oontrolling the flow through said tangentially directed opening.

3. In a sprinkler of the character described, a. Water housing, asprinkling member rotatably mounted thereon, said sprinkling memberhaving an inlet opening in communication with said Water housing for thesupply of water from said housing directly to said sprinkling member,water operated means rotatable within said housing for imparting slowrotational movement to said sprinkling member, said water housing havinga plurality of water inlets, one of which is directed tangentially toimpart rotational movements to the water in the housing and another ofwhich is directed axially with respect to the said rotational movementof the water in the housing, and means accessible from the exterior ofthe sprinkler while mounted for sprinkling and adapted for manualadjustment for controlling the size of one of said inlets to control thespeed of rotation of the sprinkling member.

4. A sprinkler comprising a water housing providing a water chamber, asprinkling member receiving its water supply from the water chamber andforming the sole outlet for water from said chamber, a plurality ofwater supply passages for supplying water to said chamber, only one ofsaid passages directing the water tangentially into said chamber forrotating the water therein about an axis substantially corresponding tothe axis of rotation of the sprinkling member, the other said passageforming an unobstructed path in alignment with said axis of rotation ofthe water, means operated by the rotation of the water in said chamberfor rotating said sprinkling member and means accessible from theexterior of the sprinkler while mounted for sprinkling for adjusting therate of flow through said tangentially directed passage for control ofthe rotational speed of water in the housing.

- WALTER H. COLES.

BERT J. NELSON.

